Two suspicious approach incidents have reportedly occurred within a 24hr period approximately 34nm northwest of Pointe A IRTC (International Recommended Transit Corridor), in the Gulf of Aden.
Information by maritime security intelligence firm Dryad Global suggests that both vessels were transiting Eastbound when approached.
The first instance involved a Liberian bulk carrier approached by two skiffs that are understood to have altered course and approached the vessel. Embarked security are understood to have showed weapons and the skiffs stopped their approach.
A second incident was reported 4nm southeast of the above location 24hrs later, involving a vessel being approached by one skiff with 4 persons onboard. A ladder was reported as sighted in this instance.
Within 2020, a total of 8 incidents recorded a suspicious approach within the Western Gulf of Aden. In three incidents, warning shots were fired and in once incident weapons were shown but no shots fired.
Only in one previous incident in 2020 there were ladders recorded as sighted within the skiffs. Throughout 2020 no vessel was approached consistently, or any attempted boarding made.
In its yearly piracy report, IMB received no reports for incidents of piracy and armed robbery in Somalia, but it warned the industry that Somalia pirates continue to possess the capacity to carry out attacks in the Somali basin and wider Indian Ocean.
